Parliament rejects Museveni order on armoured cars, MPs to foot own security bills

Members of Parliament who sit on the Parliamentary Commission chaired by the Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga on Monday rejected a directive by President Yoweri Museveni to the finance ministry to procure armoured vehicles and facilitate sharp shooter guards for legislators who are under security threat.

The meeting according to sources resolved that it was not financially viable for government to procure such vehicles and pay for the security detail of MPs.

Kadaga yesterday informed the House about the said meeting but didn’t delve into the resolutions.

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“We agreed that those members that feel endangered we shall ask government to give them special attention depending on the degree of concern to their security. We are taking some measures that I don’t want to publicise,” Kadaga said.

According to certain members who attended the meeting on Monday, the directive by Museveni was rejected for its financial implication and lack of applicability.

“The government would not have adequate finance to handle such a proposal, it was neither viable no practical,” a source privy to the meeting told Nile Post.

According to the source, members agreed that MPs requiring security support from agencies will have to pay for it through their own pockets.

The commission also resolved that the specific MPs requiring protection should buy, and fuel cars to transport their security detail.

Following the directive by President Museveni in June, Internal Affairs Minister Obiga Kania said MPs would only be given security on request. The minister said the current security situation in the country does not necessitate providing body guards to all members of Parliament.

But to the opposition legislators like Mubarak Munyagwa Kawempe South and Lyandro Komakech of Gulu Municipality, the decision to provide body guards to them is uncalled for.